Have you heard it said that Christians
believe in and talk about heaven to escape reality? While it is true there are
those with an escapist mindset which helps them to justify their avoidance of
present reality, it would be bigoted at best to conclude Christianity as the
cause of such an attitude.
Anyone
who has taken the time to read the gospel record of Jesus Christ knows that He
faced reality. He never taught His followers to set their minds on some future
hope and give no thought to the present. In fact, it was His thought of the
present that led to His agonizing prayer in the garden of Gethsemane. It was
His hope of future joy that gave Him strength to face the shame of the cross
with endurance.
Biblical
Christianity teaches us to live now, but not for now. In other words, there is
a reality to which this brief time on earth is headed. Christians don’t ignore
this future reality so to live now as if this is the only reality. Christians
live now with the hope of what is coming. That hope affects us now. It
liberates us from the bondage of a broken world and short-lived promises, and
enables us to let go of controlling things that are quickly passing away. With
this hope in the future filling our minds we are able to live now according to
principles that are right before God, regardless of what advantage it may or
may not bring us in this present life.
If
we didn’t have this hope, then we would admittedly be quite miserable. As the
Apostle Paul discussed the significance of the resurrection in 1 Corinthians
15, he noted that life lived as a follower of Christ in this world would be
quite miserable if our hope died with us. In other words, if all for which we
lived were to suddenly end with death, then the life of trials and tribulation
associated with following Christ in this present world that largely discounts
Him would be characterized as miserable. It is the hope of the resurrection
that makes every form of suffering in this life bearable. Not only is every
form of suffering made bearable, it actually works in us a greater sense of the
glory that awaits us. This world as it presently exists is not intended to be
the end.
Now,
this leads back to the thought of reality. Who is the escapist? The one who
lives now with great hope of receiving all that the risen Christ has purchased
and prepared? Or, the one who lives now with all hopes riding on himself and
what he may or may not accomplish in his lifetime on earth? The answer to a
large degree depends upon the reality of the resurrection. If Christ is risen,
then every soul will give an account to Him. Death does not end existence.
Death ends existence as we presently know it, but opens the door to either everlasting
punishment or eternal life.
Some
push the reality of life after death out of their minds. This is a form of
escapism. It allows for some measure of peace now. But reality will one day
disturb that peace!
Christians
embrace the reality of life after death and live with hope because of Jesus
Christ. This allows them to escape the lure of this present world and look
beyond the sufferings of this present life. This brings a measure of peace now,
with the hope of immeasurable peace forever.
I
am thankful to be a Christian. Call me an escapist if you will. I prefer to be
called a realist.
